barron's vision for Penn State's next fundraising campaign

[Marshall30]

Should they announce that the theme is "donate to remove your current BOT" then it would be a record haul for sure.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bjf1984]

No one should be surprised by Barron's words about the BoT cited in the article. Boards are integral to success of fund-raising campaigns. You don't want people on a board of a not-for-profit who cannot or will not "give and get."

And there you have it, the basic difference between the BOT-bot's........and decent human beings

As the Bloviator said in his reply to one of my first e-mails to him......his "vision" of a BOT is as a vehicle to reward those who give - in his words (through Joel Myers) - of their "time and treasure".

F&cking people can't even see how far they have strayed from the path of decency, logic, and humanity.
Thanks EC, for doing such a wonderful job of exemplifying the "core values" of the BOT-bots........

"PSU for SALE!!!!!!.......COME GET SOME!!!!!"

 

[Evan Ceg]

People who serve as volunteers on not-for-profit boards and give donations to that mission and encourage other people to give donations to the mission are not decent human beings. Got it.

 

[junior1]

People who serve as volunteers on not-for-profit boards and give donations to that mission and encourage other people to give donations to the mission are not decent human beings. Got it.

No, but people who make large donations and then are "rewarded" with a seat on the Board is a little bit different than what you intimated.

 

[Aoshiro]

I have thought about this before and you are correct: Common sense would indicate that young people aren't going to have the necessary foundation to be large donors right away. However I can guess, based on what I see happening, is that either there is such a large volume of new grads that the sheer numbers of new donors are making up for the disillusioned older alums with some money who are leaving, or that most of the older alums are still giving.

People here say they don't give anymore and sometimes people say that donations are down, but who can really verify that? PSU certainly isn't going to ever admit it, and when you look around town, all evidence is that the place is booming. More housing, more campus construction, more ADs, more more more. I'm not complaining either, as a homeowner in the boro it only helps my bottom line that the university thrives. I just can't abide the poor-mouth routine they try to sell me.

Donations are down. It's a fact. Sooner or later the university will run out of ways to hide it. For example, for the last few years they've been lumping pre-2011 numbers together with post-2011 numbers so they can brag about results. Are they going to be able to get away with that 3 years from now? No. It will look ridiculous. The construction that you see now was approved years ago. The chickens are going to come home to roost and people will see the financial mess that has resulted from the trustees' hubris and incompetence.

 

[Keyser Soze 16801]

No, but people who make large donations and then are "rewarded" with a seat on the Board is a little bit different than what you intimated.

Exactly. The BOT is a 'pay to play' scheme for the very wealthy. Look at Matt Schuyler: run on the Upward State ticket and get trounced; give $1 million a year later, get handed a seat.

Spanier largely created this situation and unfortunately it turned around and bit him on the butt. He recruited people of wealth rather than people of character to serve on his board. They wrote plenty of checks but they came up small when it counted.

 

[Aoshiro]

This has to include, very sadly, THON. The money goes through PSU and is counted in its giving stats. And money is fungible. It would be easy to use THON money for its intended purpose but cut the other sources used for that research and use that money elsewhere. You can also add to overhead so that THON money is paying for what rightly should be a general fund expense. I am not saying that PSU is doing this. But they could--and it would not surprise me if they are, at least to some extent.

It is what happened in Ohio when they used the lottery to benefit schools. It turns out that the lottery has not been a source of extra money for the school. Instead the budget has stayed fairly constant, and the money that was once budgeted out of the general fund for schools now goes elsewhere. I expect the same is true in PA with the senior citizen lottery funding.

Yes, sadly donations to THON counts as donations to Penn State so I have decided to stop those, too.

There are many other worthy charities and I'll donate to them until this self-serving, incompetent regime is removed from Penn State.

 

[marshall23]

Spuds McMasser is the leader of the PSU BOT in title only. He does as he is told....much like Barron. Not only is McMasser a puppet, he isn't even Charlie McCarthy to the real Edgar Bergen's that run PSU. Spuds is playing the role of Mortimer Snerd........a secondary level puppet.

 

[Aoshiro]

People who serve as volunteers on not-for-profit boards and give donations to that mission and encourage other people to give donations to the mission are not decent human beings. Got it.

Well it's an interesting governance issue. Is someone qualified to govern a major public educational institution just because he can write a big check? I know that it's been a long-standing tradition that you can buy your way on to the board, but it's entirely possible that this is one of the factors that contributed to the governance breakdown at Penn State.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Spuds McMasser is the leader of the PSU BOT in title only. He does as he is told....much like Barron. Not only is McMasser a puppet, he isn't even Charlie McCarthy to the real Edgar Bergen's that run PSU. Spuds is playing the role of Mortimer Snerd........a secondary level puppet.

There is a startling resemblance between Keef and Mortimer. Uncanny, really.

 

[Aoshiro]

Exactly. The BOT is a 'pay to play' scheme for the very wealthy. Look at Matt Schuyler: run on the Upward State ticket and get trounced; give $1 million a year later, get handed a seat.

Spanier largely created this situation and unfortunately it turned around and bit him on the butt. He recruited people of wealth rather than people of character to serve on his board. They wrote plenty of checks but they came up small when it counted.

Spanier didn't create this situation. It's existed for years and the same thing happens at just about every major charitable organization you can think of - universities, museums, foundations. You give big bucks and you get a seat at the table.

 

[marshall23]

There is a startling resemblance between Keef and Mortimer. Uncanny, really.
Thanks for the supporting visual, to McMasser's left is the "honorable" judge Freeh.

 

[Keyser Soze 16801]

Spanier didn't create this situation. It's existed for years and the same thing happens at just about every major charitable organization you can think of - universities, museums, foundations. You give big bucks and you get a seat at the table.

I'll be more specific. GS facilitated a change in how the B&I people got their seats in order to stack it with donors. Many of the worst trustees came from the B&I group: Peetz, Surman, Frazier, Dandrea, etc.

 

[bjf1984]

People who serve as volunteers on not-for-profit boards and give donations to that mission and encourage other people to give donations to the mission are not decent human beings. Got it.

No....you DON'T get it.....idiot.

PEOPLE DO NOT "EARN" A ROLE ON A GOVERNANCE BOARD BY "BUYING" A SEAT.

(I typed that slowly, maybe you can "get it" now)

PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT WAY ARE NOT DECENT HUMAN BEINGS!!!

(got that, $sshole?)

Not to mention, scumbags like Lubert, Dambly, etc TAKE one hell of a lot than they could ever GIVE.

Douchebag.

 

[bjf1984]

I'll be more specific. GS facilitated a change in how the B&I people got their seats in order to stack it with donors. Many of the worst trustees came from the B&I group: Peetz, Surman, Frazier, Dandrea, etc.

Actually, those changes were initiated by none other than "Her Honor" Cindy Baldwin......at the behest of the Scoundrel puppet masters.

 

[marshall23]

Donors earning seats on the BOT. Like paying a cover charge to loot.

 

[Evan Ceg]

Well it's an interesting governance issue. Is someone qualified to govern a major public educational institution just because he can write a big check? I know that it's been a long-standing tradition that you can buy your way on to the board, but it's entirely possible that this is one of the factors that contributed to the governance breakdown at Penn State.

People invited to serve on a not-for-profit board should be recruited first and foremost for the expertise and experience they bring to the board's defined needs (and not for the constituency they represent, IMO). A second but very important consideration is the ability and willingness to "give and get." Not everyone on a board will have the same financial profile and giving capacity, but all should be willing to give annually and be willing to make what is for them a "sacrificial" gift when a major fund-raising campaign is initiated. The success of a big campaign in a big agency is obviously not solely dependent on board giving and getting, but the board must demonstrate leadership. It's part of a board member's fiduciary responsibility in a not-for-profit agency.

If you want to raise big dollars you better have at least a couple people on your board who are capable of giving major gifts and soliciting major gifts from their financial peers.

If the board of a not-for-profit is not individually and collectively committed to the fund-raising campaign, why should anyone else give donations to the campaign?

I acknowledge that sometimes people "buy" their way on to a board, but often the agency's leadership eventually regrets that invitation. I think you've asked a fair question, Aoshiro, whether that factor contributed to BoT failures at Penn State.

 

[BobPSU92]

People who serve as volunteers on not-for-profit boards and give donations to that mission and encourage other people to give donations to the mission are not decent human beings. Got it.

evan, why do you feel the need to continue to prove to us that you are not bright? We understand that full well.

 

[Nitwit]

With each passing year, more people leave PSU with a degree and fewer and fewer have perspective as to what went on. I disagree that anything will fizzle. PSU grads will be lining up to give money to Penn State, as they always have. This campaign will be a success. If it falls short it will still be painted as a roaring success. Nobody is going to be asking anyone to get back in the fold. You just had the chairman of the board of trustees mocking at least half of the alumni on social media. People like Masser and others make it impossible for me to support PSU anymore but that doesn't mean others won't. It's people like me who were the problem in the first place, according to Freeh and Frazier. They don't give a flyin fish who stays or goes.

Look at the money. Look at the buildings going up on campus. Look at the new student high rises and new student housing construction going up all over the place and more being planned. They are not building all that stuff to be stuck with empty properties. Enrollment is skyrocketing. The place prints money. They start a big capital campaign and people will be tripping over themselves to fund it.

See the link. The theme has not yet been decided, but the fundraising campaign is planned to start in the summer of 2016 and last six years.

http://news.psu.edu/story/370726/20...ign-push-penn-state’s-global-impact-strategic

What barron is probably thinking: "Give early and often, suckheads. And f*ck you."

Yes, sadly donations to THON counts as donations to Penn State so I have decided to stop those, too.

There are many other worthy charities and I'll donate to them until this self-serving, incompetent regime is removed from Penn State.

The capitol campaign which ended in 2014 raised around $2.1 billion. They are likely to surpass that amount this time. Most of the money comes from large contributions as thousands of donors who love Penn State make major gifts - in excess of $25,000, and often in the millions. For those that say they will refuse to donate to THON, I hope your family never has to experience pediatric cancer.

 

[bjf1984]

People invited to serve on a not-for-profit board should be recruited first and foremost for the expertise and experience they bring to the board's defined needs (and not for the constituency they represent, IMO). A second but very important consideration is the ability and willingness to "give and get." Not everyone on a board will have the same financial profile and giving capacity, but all should be willing to give annually and be willing to make what is for them a "sacrificial" gift when a major fund-raising campaign is initiated. The success of a big campaign in a big agency is obviously not solely dependent on board giving and getting, but the board must demonstrate leadership. It's part of a board member's fiduciary responsibility in a not-for-profit agency.

If you want to raise big dollars you better have at least a couple people on your board who are capable of giving major gifts and soliciting major gifts from their financial peers.

If the board of a not-for-profit is not individually and collectively committed to the fund-raising campaign, why should anyone else give donations to the campaign?

I acknowledge that sometimes people "buy" their way on to a board, but often the agency's leadership eventually regrets that invitation. I think you've asked a fair question, Aoshiro, whether that factor contributed to BoT failures at Penn State.

Pitiful

 

[PSUMATT85]

The capitol campaign which ended in 2014 raised around $2.1 billion. They are likely to surpass that amount this time. Most of the money comes from large contributions as thousands of donors who love Penn State make major gifts - in excess of $25,000, and often in the millions. For those that say they will refuse to donate to THON, I hope your family never has to experience pediatric cancer.

Dana Farber receives my THON money. Feel sad but am fine with it

 

[mn78psu83]

The capitol campaign which ended in 2014 raised around $2.1 billion. They are likely to surpass that amount this time. Most of the money comes from large contributions as thousands of donors who love Penn State make major gifts - in excess of $25,000, and often in the millions. For those that say they will refuse to donate to THON, I hope your family never has to experience pediatric cancer.

We continue to donate to THON. Just donated this past week. That connection is strong for us.

 

[Aoshiro]

The capitol campaign which ended in 2014 raised around $2.1 billion. They are likely to surpass that amount this time. Most of the money comes from large contributions as thousands of donors who love Penn State make major gifts - in excess of $25,000, and often in the millions. For those that say they will refuse to donate to THON, I hope your family never has to experience pediatric cancer.

Paterno was a big rainmaker in the last campaign. Who is going to fill his shoes? The $2.1 billion will not be surpassed unless the board heals the rift with the alumni. You are delusional to believe otherwise. Finally, there are plenty of other terrific charities in this country that are funding cancer research. I don't need to give to THON to fund cancer research. I give to LLS.

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

We continue to donate to THON. Just donated this past week. That connection is strong for us.

Despite incompetence at PSU at so many levels, we should never forget the underlying basis of THON. It's for the kids and always will be.

I admittedly haven't been paying attention. I never realized that PSU circumvented Thon donations as PSU donations. That is so fundamentally wrong and may explain why the BOT is so defensive.

Nothing a good trial attorney couldn't make a killing on by litigating for transparency.

 

[PSUEngineerx2]

See the link. The theme has not yet been decided, but the fundraising campaign is planned to start in the summer of 2016 and last six years.

http://news.psu.edu/story/370726/20...ign-push-penn-state’s-global-impact-strategic

What barron is probably thinking: "Give early and often, suckheads. And f*ck you."

Allow me to attempt to relay my opinion to Barron and the PSU Board of Trustees as succinctly as possible:

Kiss my a*s.
Go to he*l.
F*ck off.

Sufficiently clear?

 

[Aoshiro]

Despite incompetence at PSU at so many levels, we should never forget the underlying basis of THON. It's for the kids and always will be.

I admittedly haven't been paying attention. I never realized that PSU circumvented Thon donations as PSU donations. That is so fundamentally wrong and may explain why the BOT is so defensive.

Nothing a good trial attorney couldn't make a killing on by litigating for transparency.

AFAIK THON complies with all disclosure requirements and as we know PSU is exempt from PA's right-to-know law. There is nothing to litigate. IMO it would be better if THON and/or Four Diamonds were 501c3 orgs separate from Penn State, but they're not, and there's nothing that we can do about it.

 

[marshall23]

Allow me to attempt to relay my opinion to Barron and the PSU Board of Trustees as succinctly as possible:

Kiss my a*s.
Go to he*l.
F*ck off.

Sufficiently clear?

Remember we are talking about cretins that don't permit people to witness public comment.

 

[PSU_Chicago]

Spuds McMasser is the leader of the PSU BOT in title only. He does as he is told....much like Barron. Not only is McMasser a puppet, he isn't even Charlie McCarthy to the real Edgar Bergen's that run PSU. Spuds is playing the role of Mortimer Snerd........a secondary level puppet.

so who tells him what to do ....

 

[PSU57]

I have given a hell of a lot of money to Penn State through the years. Now I donate only enough to retain my seats for football and NOTHING more. I've made known my displeasure with the current regime of corrupt cowards who've taken control of the BoT and will NOT be writing any more checks to further their stranglehold over this university. If they all resign en masse and take along all their self-appointed sycophants, leaving only the alumni elected trustees to decide our future, at that time and only at that time will the coffers get any more contributions from me.

 

[PSU57]

I have given a hell of a lot of money to Penn State through the years. Now I donate only enough to retain my seats for football and NOTHING more. I've made known my displeasure with the current regime of corrupt cowards who've taken control of the BoT and will NOT be writing any more checks to further their stranglehold over this university. If they all resign en masse and take along all their self-appointed sycophants, leaving only the alumni elected trustees to decide our future, at that time and only at that time will the coffers get any more contributions from me.